Tories target union ‘tactics’

The government has published the terms of reference into its inquiry into trade union tactics.

The inquiry was announced in the aftermath of the Unite union’s defeat at the Grangemouth oil refinery last year.

Unite was accused of “extreme tactics” and “bullying” for peacefully protesting outside bosses’ homes. The real bullies were the bosses who were threatening mass sackings.

The Carr inquiry will focus on how anti-union laws are enforced and whether they should be tightened.

A specific investigation into Grangemouth has been dropped. Calls for investigating bosses’ extreme tactics—such as illegal blacklisting—have been ignored.

Bruce Carr QC will head the inquiry. He’s the lawyer who got an overwhelming vote for strikes by British Airways workers overturned on a technicality. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady called the inquiry a “party-political stunt”.